Aizawl: Besides providing sustainable land-based economy to the farmers, Mizoram’s ambitious project New Land Use Policy (NLUP) aims to bring back 80 per cent of the state’s geographical area under forest cover.
Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who chaired a meeting of the 12th meeting of NLUP apex board here on Monday, said a Rs 500-crore afforestation master plan has been chalked out to reserve 10 per cent of the forest to enable rural people to get forest products from there.
Lal Thanhawla claimed his government’s flagship project as the “most popular and most people-friendly programme.”
“The coordination between the stakeholders and the government has never been this good. The recent results in the Chalfilh constituency Byelections and Chaka autonomous district council (CADC) have clearly reflected the people’s trust on the NLUP,” he said.
The chief minister further claimed that a team of scientists from the University of Minnesota, USA, who had recently conducted a study in 14 villages across five districts of Mizoram, found the project as “an answer” to the global climate crisis.
Scientists, during an interactive session at the India International Centre on January 28, hailed NLUP as the most unique development programme in the history of modern India.
“From financial assistance to the rural poor to land reforms to conservation of forest and water resources, the NLUP has it all,” he said.
Highlighting some of NLUP achievements, the Chief Minister said a number of broom cultivators had witnessed their annual income double by four to five times.
At this rate of increased production, Lal Thanhawla hoped that Mizoram would soon be self-sufficient in fish, meat, milk, horticulture and agriculture products. He also disclosed that there is Chief Minister’s NLUP special scheme for those who are in extreme poverty.
As the complete success of the project would only be witnessed after five years, Lal Thanhawla said that an exit protocol, which is being drafted, will determine NLUP after five years.
The government is putting major thrust on food processing units, market support and development of market infrastructures to meet with the increased agricultural product under NLUP.
During Monday’s meeting, Dr J S Samra, CEO of National Rainfed Area Authority, gave a report on his study on NLUP implementation in 11 villages recently.
The number of families covered by the flagship project is more than half of the total number of families, 221,077, in Mizoram according to Census 2011.
Officially launched on January 14, 2011, the project cost for the five-year period is Rs 2907.90 crore of which Rs 2526.98 crore is a contribution from the Centre and Rs 380.92 crore is beneficiary contribution.
Target families in agriculture sector constitute the highest number with 31,600 families, followed by horticulture sector where there are 28,800 families. The other sectors with number of target families are sericulture (8500), fishery (3000), soil and water conservation (9000), animal husbandry and veterinary (21860), micro enterprise (6500), handloom (3000) and forest (bamboo) (10740).
Given in installments, each beneficiary receives an average of Rs one lakh. (UNI)